Sanding device for vehicles



' J. B. LINTERN SANDING DEVICE FOR VEHICLES Nov. 22, 1938.

Filed July 22, 193'! INVENTOR. \JOHN B.LINTERN Fig.3

BATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 22, 1938 SANDING DEVICE FOR VEHICLES John B. Lintern, Berea, Ohio, assignor to The Lintern Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, at corporation" of Ohio ApplicationJuly 22, 1937, Serial No. 155,057

4 Claims.

; to a new and improved combined discharge header and conduit for use in connection therewith.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a combined discharge header and distributing conduit which may be readily connected to a sand hopper and which provides a water-tight joint between the discharge point of the sand and the header.

.Anotherobject is to provide a flexible discharge header and distribution conduit combination so arranged that striking of the conduit or any part of the combination by obstructions during movement of the vehicle cannot damage the header and conduit or the remainder of the sanding apparatus.

A still further object is to provide a discharge conduit which vibrates under the impact of the relatively rearwardly moving air stream occasioned by the forward motion of the vehicle and thus assists in maintaining the device free from possible clogging and the like.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following specification, wherein reference is made to the drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of an automobile with the sanding device installed on the running board;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section of the running board and sand hopper and the combined discharge header and distribution conduit of the present invention connected thereto; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on a plane indicated by the line 3-3 in Fig.2.

As more fully described in my copending application, the sander comprises a cylindrical hopper I in which is disposed a solenoid operating coil enclosed in a suitable protecting casing 2, the solenoid coil directly operating the stem of a control valve 3. The valve 3, in turn, cooperates with a downwardly constricted central throat 4 on the bottom of the hopper I for controlling the discharge of sand from the hopper I. The hopper is cylindrical in form and is preferably disposed on the running board 5 of an automobile 6, a suitable clamping collar 1 being provided for engaging with the lower end of the hopper I for securing it in position. As described in my copending application, it is desirable that the discharge end of the distribution conduit which receives the sand discharged from the throat 4 be ofiset from the axis of the throat so that upon rotation of the hopper aboutits upright axis, the discharge end of the conduit will be adjusted laterally of the vehicle wheel with whichit is associated. Inthepriorapplication, above referredto, there was provided on the underside of the hopper and throat 4 a cast metal header to which the up per end of the distribution conduit was connected. Such metal header necessarily extended a considerable distance below the running board and consequently was apt to be struck against an obstruction during travel of the car and thereby become damaged or damage the remainder of the apparatus. encountered in properly and economically sealing the joints between the metal header and the underside of the hopper and between the header and the discharge conduits.

Instead of the metal header and attached distribution conduits, the distribution cenduitherein disclosed is provided. This conduit comprises an imperforate resilient rubber tube [0 having at its lower end an integral enlarged shield II, the walls of the shield being of less .thiciiess than the walls of the tube Ill so that any obstruction striking the shield may be relieved by flexing of the shield without appreciably disturbing the tube 10. The lower end of the tube I0 is open, as indicated at l2, the opening being somewhat restricted and being spaced radially inwardly from the side wall of the'shield by a peripheral downwardly and inwardly sloping shoulder 13, so that sand dropping therefrom does not touch the side walls of the shield II. An integralinternal annular flange M is provided within the shield in spaced relation from the ends thereof to prevent the passage of water by capillary-action upwardly along the inner side wall surfaces of the shield. Above the shield II', the tube I0 is curved through a portion of its length, as in dicated at I5, and at its upper end is enlarged to provide an integral header portion l6. An integral external flange I1 is provided about the upper open end of the header portion IS. The header portion 16 is of sufficient size to accommodate the valve and the throat 4 with its discharge end spaced radially inwardly from the header walls so that the throat discharges directly into the tube Ill. Thus there are no possible joints or openings for moisture between the lower end of the shield II and the throat 4.

The combined distribution conduit and header is secured to the underside of a flange E8 on the throat 4, bolts 19 being provided and extending entirely through the flange H, the flange Furthermore, some difficulty was iii l8 and the bottom wall of the hopper, and thence engaging a suitable anchor plate 20 within the hopper. A washer 2| underlies the flange I! and the bolts I!) extend through apertures therein so that uniform clamping pressure is exerted by the bolts against the underside of the flange I1. Thus by means of the bolts I 9, the flange I! may be drawn tightly against the underside of the throat flange l8, and the flange I8, in turn, drawn tightly against the bottom of the hopper, the flange l1 yielding and forming a water-tight seal at its point of union with the flange l8.

Due to the resiliency of the tube I 0, any obstruction that might strike it above the level of the shield ll merely flexes the tube without damaging in any way the remainder of the structure. The shield II is preferably of such thickness that the high speed of relatively rearwardly moving air occasioned by forward movement of the'vehicle causes the shield to vibrate and elastically distort even while the force of the air is insufficient to vibrate the tube to appreciably and cause too great a displacement of the opening I2 relative to the wheel of the vehicle. This action breaks loose any material tending to clog the interior of the shield even while ,it is discharging the sand in proper relation to the wheel. Likewise, there is a tendency to vibra tion of the conduit in so that any material temporarily. accidentally jammed therein is loosened and freed. Since the discharge opening l2 and the discharge opening of the throat 4 are offset with respect to each other, rotation of the hopper about its upright axis will provide lateral adjustment of the opening I! with respect to the wheels of the vehicle.

To provide further protection against rain and snow, the bottom of the hopper l is spaced slightlyabovethe lower end of the hopper so that the bottom edge of the side wall seats tightly against the rubber mat 24 of the running board. Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A; cinbined discharge header anddistribution conduit for a vehicle sander comprising a rubber tube having its upper portion adapted for con'nection to. a sanding device and having aportion depending from said header portion and being open at its'lower end, and said tube havingan integral rubber shield depending from its'lower end, the shield having a wall thickness less than the wall thickness of the tube andcapable of elastic deformation by air pressure casioned b'y forward motion of the associated vehicle, said shield being substantially coaxial with the lower open end of the tube and having its side wall spaced outwardly from the opening inthe tube.

. 2. A combined discharge header and distribution conduit for a sander for 'a vehicle and "said tube having an integral rubber shield depending from its lower end, the shield having a wall thickness less than the wall thickness of the tube and capable of elastic deformation by air pressure occasioned by forward motion of the associated vehicle, said shield being substantially coaxial with the open end of the tube and having its side wall spaced outwardly from the opening in the tube, and the lower end of the tube protruding partially into the shield.

3. A combined discharge header and distribution conduit for a vehicle sander comprising a rubber tube having its upper portion in the form of a header of enlarged cross section open at its upper end and terminating at its upper end in an integral external flange for connection to a sanding device and having a portion beneath said header portion and with its axis curving outwardly and downwardly from the axis of the header, and being open at its lower end, the lower end having its axis substantially upright and offset from the axis of the header, and the open lower end being restricted internally, and said tube having a portion in the form of an integral rubber readily flexible, thin-walled shield depending from its lower end, said shield being substantially coaxial with the open end of the tube and having its side wall spaced outwardly from the opening in the tube, and the lower end of the tube protruding partially into the shield.

4. A sand discharge device for motor vehicle sanders comprising a tube adapted for connection with a supply for sand; said tube having its lower end approximately vertically disposed in mounted position on such vehicle, and an elongated tubular rubber shield supported on the end of the tube coaxial with the discharge opening of the tube and having all surface portions of its interior which are exposed to sand discharged from the tube spaced radially from the axis of the tube farther than the discharge surface portions of the tube from said axis, and being sufficiently flexible so as to be capable of elastic deformation by air pressure occasioned by forward movement of the vehicle at driving speed.

JOHN B. LIN'IE'RN. 

